The air that surrounds us in our atmosphere is one of the most important components of the environment as far as life and survival are concerned. Living organisms, both plants, and animals depend on this air for survival. Naturally, this air is mostly composed of gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and inert gases, as well as water vapor. However, contaminants often interfere with the integrity of this air, which mostly occurs as a result of human activity. But what are these contaminant agents, how do they affect the atmosphere, and how can their effects be prevented or remedied? Most importantly, what exactly is air pollution? Well, here are the ABCs of air pollution.
What’s Air Pollution?
The true definition of air pollution tends to be a tricky one, considering the numerous factors involved in the process. In simple terms, however, air pollution can be defined as the existence of harmful agents, biologic or physical in nature, which interfere with the natural characteristics of air or the atmosphere. These contaminants mostly pose health hazards to and affect the life and existence of living organisms. There are many different forms of air pollution, based on the sources and types of contaminants or toxins in question. The effects of air pollution also range from short term issues such as affecting the health of living organisms to more long term concerns such as ozone depletion and global warming. This makes it important to understand the various types of air pollution.
Common Types and Examples of Air Pollution
There are various types of pollution, mostly depending on the type and source of the pollutants. Some of the common air pollution types include the following.
• Gas Pollution
Gases are the major sources of air pollution in both indoor and outdoor settings. This type of pollution occurs when higher than usual levels of gas contaminants are released in the indoor or outdoor air. Such gases include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur oxides, and certain hydrocarbons.
• The Greenhouse Effect
According to most scientists, most of the earth’s global warming comes from the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect basically prevents the sun’s heat from escaping to space out of the atmosphere. Some of the most common culprits of this include gases such as methane, ozone, CFCs, and nitrous oxides. Again, a majority of these gases are as a result of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels.
• Acid Rain
Human activities such as coal burning in industrial plants, factories, and motor vehicles are some of the major sources of gases such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. These gases, when released into the atmosphere end up polluting the air as moisture particles. These gases often combine with other chemicals to form what is referred to as acid rain, which falls back onto the earth’s surface as precipitation.
• Ozone Depletion
The ozone layer is the gaseous layer in the earth’s atmosphere that is responsible for protecting the earth from harmful levels of UV and other forms of radiation from the outer space. When the air in the earth’s atmosphere becomes polluted by gases such as CFCs or chlorofluorocarbons, ozone depletion is said to occur. This affects the health and lives of living organisms, including plants and animals.
The above are just a few of the various examples and types of air pollution known to man. Each of them has a significant negative effect on the environment as well as the humans and other living organisms in it.
Effects of Air Pollution in a Nutshell
The negative effects of air pollution are many, ranging from immediate effects such as affecting the health of humans and animals to long term effects such as the ability to increase global warming. Some forms of air pollution are known to slow down the earth’s cooling effect to a certain extent.
Both indoor and outdoor air pollutants are known to cause or worsen the symptoms for people with allergies and respiratory health conditions such as asthma. Some air pollutants can find their way into or onto food substances and contaminate drinking water, causing, even more, health problems. The World Health Organization estimates that at least 7 million deaths occur each year as a result of health complications relating to air pollution.
What Could Be Done?
The air pollution problem is obviously a huge problem to deal with, especially as an individual. However, much can be achieved if every individual adopts environmentally friendly ways of doing things. It all brings us back to ensuring that fewer pollutants are released into the atmosphere from the activities that we do. Individuals could start by replacing their household and commercial appliances and equipment to those that do not emit harmful substances into the air. Also, homeowners can increase ventilation in their homes and enclosed spaces and ensure that their household equipment such as air conditioning units and furnaces are well serviced to keep indoor air pollution at bay.
We could also reduce the use of aerosols, paints, sprays, and other products that release harmful gases into the atmosphere. Ensuring that indoor equipment such as furnaces and boilers are well-maintained and in good shape can also help prevent issues such as carbon monoxide poisoning, which is another common form of indoor air pollution that is known to be highly fatal. In conclusion, there is only so little you can do to prevent or reduce air pollution in general.
Author, Freelance writer